Issue No. 24

Dynamics, Effects, Interfaces, Signal Processors

FATSO Jr model EL-7

by Empirical Labs  |  reviewed by Andy Hong

FATSO is an acronym for Full Analog Tape Simulator and Optimizer. When digital multitracking first became affordable, it took only one session using 16 tracks of ADAT to convince me that I didn't want...

Effects

Seek Wah effect pedal

by Z-Vex  |  reviewed by Pete Weiss

All right, this thing is really cool. Sadly, it's also very expensive and is an extreme example of a "one trick pony." But what a trick, man! The Seek Wah sends your signal through a series of...

Interfaces, Mic Preamps, Recorders, Signal Processors

D2424 Hard Drive Recorder

by Fostex  |  reviewed by John Baccigaluppi, Chema Salinas

Last year saw the introduction of several competing 24 channel, 24 bit stand alone hard drive recorders from Tascam, iZ Technology (Radar), Alesis and Mackie. As all of these units sound good and...

Dynamics, Signal Processors

Opal DPR-944 2+2 compressor/gate

by BSS  |  reviewed by Andy Hong

Many of us don't have the means to afford a rack full of processors to do all the things we need to do as practitioners of our field. So instead, we end up making compromises, oftentimes buying gear...

Effects, Signal Processors

MoogerFooger-102 Ring Modulator

by Big Briar  |  reviewed by JD Foster

I gotta say I LOVE Bob Moog's MF102. I got one when they were first released and I have used it on something on every project since. I've had the best luck using it as a mix effect on shakers, hi-hat,...

Dynamics, Mic Preamps

MX-60 Front End One

by Drawmer  |  reviewed by John Baccigaluppi

I've had this in my studio for a few months now but didn't have much chance to use it until recently. To be honest, one of the reasons I didn't use it much is because I have several other mic...

Effects, Signal Processors

Vortex effects processor

by Lexicon  |  reviewed by William Bernhard

In 1993 Lexicon came out with a couple of effects processors, the JamMan and the Vortex, that seemed to be here one moment and gone the next. The former is an incredible looping delay, possibly one of...

Direct Boxes

Evil Twin model 90 tube direct box

by Eclair Engineering  |  reviewed by Henry Robinett

I've been a fan of the Evil Twin for several years. This is a great, warm tube direct box. You might wonder about the questionable extravagance of an $850 direct box. Well if you think of it as merely...

Converters, Interfaces, Recorders

Radar 24 digital hard disk recorder

by iZ Technology  |  reviewed by Jaye Barr, Scott Colburn, David Huber, Julian Martlew

Twenty-four bit recording is here, and now it nearly approaches the beauty of analog! I recently had the pleasure of test-driving the newly improved Radar 24 System by iZ Technology. The basic system...

Accessories, Health, Tools

E-A-R Earmuff

by Peltor  |  reviewed by Andy Hong

Quicker than inserting earplugs (and waiting for them to expand). Bright red and big - they're hard to lose. Put them on like headphones and walk into any tracking session without fear of blowing your...

LDCs, Microphones

MK 219

by Oktava  |  reviewed by Martin Chittum

Russian microphone manufacturer Oktava has been around since the 1950s. The MK 219 (a.k.a. MC 219) has been one of their most known and respected models for quite some time now, and is considered a...

Interfaces, Recorders, Software

Cubase VST 32 Version 5

by Steinberg  |  reviewed by John Baccigaluppi, Shaun Lopez

There are quite a few different recording programs available now, and they're all really pretty amazing. It would be hard to say that one is drastically better, or even different, from another. I...

Accessories, Tools

Refillable Duster

by ReAir  |  reviewed by Andy Hong

Instead of paying big bucks for prepackaged air check out the ReAir refillable air sprayer. With about ten strokes of a standard bicycle pump, you've got a canister full of compressed air to blow crap...

Direct Boxes

ADP-1 Professional Active/Passive Direct Box

by Raven Labs  |  reviewed by Larry Crane, Ezra Meredeth

How do you review a DI box? Here's what we did. We set up a passive DOD 265 DI ($20), the Raven Labs ADP-1 ($349) and Avalon Designs Ultra 5 Direct ($1450) in a row, all patched into the same mic pres...

Dynamics, EQs

Platinum MixMaster

by Focusrite  |  reviewed by Andy Hong

In my living room studio, I mix on a Sony DMX-R100 digital console feeding my 24-bit Alesis Masterlink via a digital link. Therefore, I don't have much of a need for an analog mixdown processor....

Effects, Signal Processors

MPX-500 Effects Processor

by Lexicon  |  reviewed by John Baccigaluppi

We recently installed a MOTU/Macintosh hard-drive recording system into our studio. While some of the plug-ins sound pretty good, the reverbs generally leave something to be desired. Or, if they sound...